Damned and Divine
by Ms Shay X Pear
Summary: The story of Blind Mag... from the first time she met Rotti Largo... to that last fateful night at the Opera Nathan x Mag.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

The year 2038:

Rotti was sitting in the chair in the office, waiting to meet the woman Marni was bringing to audition. He had heard so many singers but none of them had been what he wanting. And Marni had promised he wouldn't regret giving her a chance.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in…" he called out, sliding out of the chair and getting to his feet.

The door opened and Marni walked in, leading a woman the same age as her. The first thing he noticed was how pretty Marni's friend was. Long dark curly hair, porcelain skin, a lovely face and a pair of bright blue eyes.  
The second thing he noticed was the slim white cane she was holding. She was blind.

"Rotti… I'd like you to meet Magadalene. Magadalene Defoe" Marni said as they walked up to Rotti's desk.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" he said warmly. Maybe… just maybe… this was the one he was looking for.  
"Finally we meet…" Mag said with a smile. "Marni has told me so much about you…" she added.  
"All good I hope…" he said with a chuckle. "Of course…" she replied, a grin on her face. Even when speaking her voice had a pleasantly musical quality to it.

"Marni tells me you have quite the beautiful voice" Rotti said. Her cheeks went slightly pink at the complement. "She persuaded me to come audition for you…" Mag said softly, face turning towards Marni.

Marni smiled, putting a encouraging hand on her friends arm.

Rotti smiled and sat back down behind his desk. Marni stood next to the desk.  
Mag cleared her throat, looking slightly nervous. However her voice when it came was pure, steady and clear.

"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs… and wakes imagination. Silently the senses… abandon the defenses…" she started to sing.

From the very first line, the beauty of her voice mesmerized him. Marni had not exaggerated. And at that moment he knew… he would help her to see… and use her talent for his own ends.

"Slowly, gently… night unfurls its splendor. Grasp it, sense it… tremulous and tender. Turn your face away from the garish light of day. Turn your face away from cold unfeeling light. And listen to the music of the night…"

His eyes were fixed on her as she continued to sing, voice gaining in strength as confidence.

"You alone can make my song take flight. Help me make the music of the night…" she finished, drawing out the final note.

He stood up, starting to clap. Mag looked pleased but slightly embarrassed at the applause. Marni beamed proudly at her.  
"That was wonderful… where did you learn to sing like that?" he asked.

"When I was 13 I lived in the same building as a retired music teacher" she said. "She gave me singing lessons. In return I used to read to her from books in braille… and note down her compositions. She always said even though I couldn't see… my music writing was neater than hers"

He chuckled and smiled. "Well she certainly taught you well. Magdalene… how would you like to be the new voice of GeneCo?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Magdalene sat at her dressing table as an assistant did her makeup and twisted her long dark hair up into a complicated updo.

In the 3 months following her audition GeneCo's stock had grown in leaps and bounds. Everyone loved the beautiful blind singer.

For once in her life Mag was happy. She had a job she enjoyed and was very well paid for. On top of her salary she was allowed to live in the beautiful penthouse in one of GeneCo's apartment buildings. She even had a maid to keep the place spotless and make sure everything was where she could easily find it.

Sure it was a little annoying having bodyguards follow her everywhere… but Rotti was concerned for her safety. He had been nothing but friendly and courteous to her.  
Every now and then he would stand slightly too close, or make remarks on her beauty that made her slightly uncomfortable but she knew he meant nothing by it. He had only just gotten engaged to her best friend.

She was happy for Marni… though she did think it was a little bit fast. They had been dating only 6 months. When they got married it would be about 9 months since they got together.

The sound of the speakerbox on the wall jolted Mag out of her reverie. "Blind Mag to the stage" the voice said. She still wasn't quite used to being called by her stage name. Marni still called her Magdalene but she was one of the few who did.

She left the room and walked to the door that took her under the stage. Mag could hear the crowd getting restless as she got on the platform.  
She took a deep breath as the platform started to rise.

* * *

Rotti was watching the performance from his usual box, his eyes fixed on Mag. She was mesmerizing. He couldn't believe his luck in finding her. She had been exactly what he needed to make GeneCo even more successful.

Sometimes he wondered if she knew how beautiful she was. Probably not as she had never actually seen herself. He had toyed with the idea of making her his mistress, but had soon decided it wouldn't be worth the inevitable fallout when Marni found out.

Marni was the one. He knew it. The moment he met her he knew he would marry her… and now she had finally agreed to be his bride.  
So he wouldn't make a move on the beautiful soprano… as tempting as it was. On top of risking losing Marni… if it all went sour he would risk loosing Mag as the voice of GeneCo. And he was so close now to getting her under his control. All he had to do was persuade her to sign a long term contract.

The crowd roared as she finished her song and took a graceful bow. Like her last few concerts, this one was sold out. The place was packed… and the cheering was almost deafening in the confined space.

Her smile was dazzling as she started to sing again, the spotlight following her as she walked slowly across the stage. Fake snow fell around her, flakes landing on her dark hair and shimmering white dress.

Enjoy it while you can my little songbird, Rotti thought to himself. Soon you will belong to me…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mag walked across the foyer of the GeneCo building, her heels and the end of her cane clicker of the smooth marble surface.

For the hundredth time she wished she didn't have to wear six inch heels. They were an infernal nuisance when you couldn't see any obstacle in your path that they might snag on. She had come within a hairs breadth of spraining her ankle several times… but she had to keep the look.  
When she was in public she was always expected to look her best. The same maid who cleaned her apartment made sure she kept to her schedule and helped her dress and get ready each morning… in a GeneCo approved outfit of course.

Rotti made sure a new outfit was sent over every evening ready for the next day. It wouldn't do to have the voice of GeneCo be seen in the same thing twice.

Usually the maid did her hair and makeup.. but if there was a special event a hairdresser and makeup artist would be sent over. Some of the getups for these events were so skimpy she felt rather uncomfortable in them… but she never complained.

She took the elevator up and stopped at Rotti's floor, wondering what he wanted to see her about. He didn't often summon her to his office.  
The soprano tapped lightly on the door of the office and was immediately buzzed in.  
"Mag…" Rotti said warmly. "Please take a seat. I have excellent news…" he said. She couldn't help a look of relief coming over her face as she sat in the seat opposite his desk. "Some news?" she asked curiously.  
"We have finally developed a pair of completely digital eyes. Not only can they see but they can record things so you can watch them again and again. They are not yet on the market… but as the Voice of GeneCo… I'd like you to be the first to have a pair"

Shock and delight spread over her lovely face. "You mean… I'd be able to see?" she said, hardly daring to hope.

"That my dear is exactly what it means" he said with a smile, pulling a contract out of the top drawer in his desk.  
"I'd like to offer you a contract" he said. "A contract that binds you to GeneCo exclusively. In exchange for your new eyes, your apartment and a salary enough to keep you in the lifestyle you have become accustomed to… you will agree to stay as the Voice of GeneCo. Permanently"  
The tone of his voice when he said the word 'permanently' should have warned her but she was too excited at the prospect of finally being able to see to notice it. She could already imagine Marni's reaction when she told her. She knew she'd be excited as she was.

"Do you accept those terms?" he asked the singer, grinning at her obvious excitement.  
"Yes… yes I accept…" she said brightly. And although she couldn't see it a look of triumph spread over Rotti Largo's face.  
He slid the contract towards her and passed her a pen. She had no idea as she took the pen and signed her name to the dotted line that he would now own her completely. That her contract was signed in blood.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Magdalene slowly swam back into consciousness as the Zydrate started to wear off. For a moment she was disoriented until memory came rushing back to her. The surgery. Her new eyes.  
She could feel the roughness of bandages against her skin. She knew it would be several days till they finally came off and she could leave the GeneCo clinic.

Though she had considered delaying the surgery so she could attend Marni's wedding to Rotti, Marni had insisted she go ahead with the surgery. She knew how long she had been waiting to finally be able to see.

With her news eyes open she could detect just a hint of light through the bandages. For the first time in her life, everything was not completely dark. There was a glimmer of light.

The three days of recovery seemed to go by rather quickly. It had been painful when the zydrate had completely worn off after the surgery but she had declined any offers of more zydrate.

As soon as she had eaten however she felt a drowsy numbness come over her that made her suspect they had put something in her food.

Consequently it was still hard to remember much of what had happened in the two days at the clinic. Only bits and pieces came back to her.  
Rotti had come to see her on the 2nd day with his 10 year old daughter Carmela. The little girl had spent much of the visit asking about singing and how she could become just like Mag. It brought a smile to the soprano's face.  
He sent the little girl down the hall to get some sweets while he talked to Mag for a while. She was surprised to hear that he had not married Marni after all… that Marni had broken it off just before the wedding.  
The truth… as she heard whispers of it the next day, was that she had actually jilted him at the altar. Rotti had waited at the church until his bride to be had sent a note that she wasn't coming. By the time he returned home… she had moved out. There were rumors she'd left him for another man.

Mag was relieved when she stopped drifting in and out of sleepy disjointed consciousness and finally felt completely awake.  
She felt a jolt of excitement when one of the GENterns announced it was finally time to remove the bandages.

Light overwhelmed her new eyes as the GENtern unwound the bandages. She blinked, a pale blurriness all that she could see at first.

Slowly her vision sharpened as her eyes adjusted and she could see the brightly lit, white room she was in. Though it had a clinical feel and medical equipment in it, it was closer to a fancy hotel room than a hospital room.

Several tears of happiness slid down her cheeks as she looked around, drinking it all in.

The GENtern brought her a mirror… and for the first time Magdalene saw her own face. Dark slightly wavy hair framed a pale, oval face with soft pretty features.  
Since signing up to GeneCo she had often been told she was beautiful but she had never really believed it. She still didn't really see what all the fuss was about.

The eyes were startling and strange but rather lovely. She knew she'd get used to them.

She couldn't wait to see everything for the first time. Her apartment, the GeneCo building. Rotti. Marni.

Mag walked slowly over to the window and a soft gasp escaped her. The whole city was spread out before her, buildings as far as the eye could see. She could see an electronic billboard with her own face on it.

The sun was sinking behind the horizon, painting the sky in vivid shades of orange and making the clouds look like they had caught on fire.

Finally Mag could see everything… and at that moment… she would have said that any price was worth it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mag walked into the busy café where she was due to meet Marni and her new boyfriend.

Apparently the rumors had been true. She had been seeing another man while engaged to Rotti. She didn't know hardly anything about this man but she was sure she would like him… and she couldn't wait to see Marni with her new eyes.  
It had only been a few days since the surgery and it was still a novelty just to be able to see. To not have to worry about tripping over things or bumping into people.  
Ironically it was just as she was thinking that thought that she almost collided with a man coming around the corner. He jumped, dropping the cup of coffee he was holding  
"Oh god I'm so…" she said, trailing off as she got a good look at him. He was around her age… maybe a few years older. He was handsome in a boy next door way… with brown hair and bright blue eyes.

"Sorry…" she said, finally finishing her sentence as she realized she was staring and quickly looked away. She couldn't explain it… but there was just something about him.  
"That's alright…" he said, lips curving in a charming smile that made her knees feel slightly weak. She couldn't help smiling back.  
"Can I at least get you a fresh cup of coffee?" she asked, looking sheepish. "Sure. That would be nice…" he said.  
"I'm Magdalene by the way… Magdalene Defoe" she said, holding out a hand. He took it with a grin and gave it a shake.  
"Nathan Wallace. I know who you are… I've seen you a lot on TV. You have a beautiful voice… and I must say… you're even prettier in person…" he said. Her cheeks flushed slightly at the complement. Many people had told her she was pretty… but when he said it she could almost believe it.  
"Flattery will get you everywhere…" she said, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. For a moment they just stared at each other, neither of them saying a word.  
The moment was abruptly shattered when Marni walked up to him and pecked him on the cheek. "Hey handsome" she said brightly. "Hey darling" he said, looking guilty for just a moment then smiling brightly at Marni.  
Marni caught sight of Mag and her smile widened. "Oh my god… the eyes look great… you must be so thrilled…" she said, walking over and hugging her best friend.  
"I see you two have met. Nathan, Mag… Mag, Nathan" she said cheerfully, looking from Nathan to Mag.  
They looked at each other. It was clear that he had had no idea his girlfriend's best friend was Blind Mag. And Marni had never told Mag the name of the man she had been seeing… only that he was a young doctor.

Mag looked sheepishly at him. "Yes I accidentally split his coffee. Luckily there was no damage done…" she said brightly.

Once Marni had got her coffee and Mag had brought Nathan a new one the three of them took a seat.

She couldn't help a pang of something like jealousy as she saw the softness in Nathan's eyes when he looked at Marni, the way they sat with their heads close together, his hand wrapped around hers.

His eyes kept flicking to Mag and then quickly away. She laughed, smiled and chatted away, pretending she didn't notice. Marni wanted to know everything that had happened… and what the surgery had been like.

The conversation was mainly between the two women but when he did make a comment he showed a keen wit and a dry sense of humor very like Mag's own. She could see exactly why Marni had fallen for him… and she couldn't help wishing that she had met him first.


End file.
